Salt-Massaged Cucumber With Miso And Sesame

• 1 3/4 pounds Japanese cucumbers (7 or 8 small)
• 1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt
• 4 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons brown rice miso
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 6 shiso leaves

1. Slice the cucumbers into paper-thin rounds and toss with the salt in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Let sit 10 minutes.
3. Toast the sesame seeds over medium-high heat in a dry frying pan until they are fragrant and start to pop.
4. Grind the sesame seeds with a suribachi (Japanese grinding bowl) or mortar until most of the seeds have broken down and are almost pastelike.
5. Add the miso and rice vinegar and blend until creamy.
6. Squeeze the cucumbers by handfuls to express the water, then add to the sesame-miso mixture.
7. Stack the shiso leaves, roll into a cigar shape, and slice into fine tendrils; toss gently but well with the cucumbers.

japanese cucumbers, salt, sesame seeds, brown rice, rice vinegar, shiso leaves

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/salt-massaged-cucumber-with-miso-and-sesame-recipe/ (may not work)